The University of Florida football team suspended all team-related activities Tuesday afternoon after several players tested positive for the novel coronavirus, school Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, team activities are paused as of Tuesday afternoon,” Stricklin said in a statement posted to the Florida Gators’ website.
The statement added that the university’s health department and the athletic department’s medical staff will be re-evaluated on Wednesday. Yahoo Sports said the school had said five players had tested positive.
Florida is set to host a highly touted game against defending national champion Louisiana State University on Saturday, the kickoff of which earlier in the day had been moved from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT to accommodate television. If the game is postponed, it likely would be rescheduled for Dec. 12, Yahoo said.
The announcement comes three days after Gators coach Dan Mullen declared, following the team’s 41-38 loss to Texas A&M in Texas, that he would like to see Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, nicknamed “The Swamp,” filled with 90,000 spectators.
Mullen made reference to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ removal of state restrictions on gatherings due to the novel coronavirus, allowing stadiums to fill to capacity.
“I know our governor passed that rule, so certainly, hopefully the university administration decides to let us pack the Swamp against LSU,” Mullen said Saturday. “I certainly hope our university administration follows the governor. The governor has passed a rule that we’re allowed to pack the Swamp and have 90,000 in the Swamp to give us the home-field advantage Texas A&M had today.”
Florida played its one home game this season against South Carolina to a limited capacity crowd, and university President Kent Fuchs posted to Twitter on Sunday that the school was continuing with the restricted attendance.
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